


Our Adventure is Calling

by Thetimehascome



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Beomhyunkai as lovable brats, Domestic, Found Family, M/M, Royal Politics, Soobin as your uptight elven knight, TXT in their VR outfits, Yeonjun as your cocky mysterious rogue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27530905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thetimehascome/pseuds/Thetimehascome
Summary: The whole nation has been looking everywhere for it's missing prince, including four boys who don't yet know each other. When fate pulls them all to the same place, they have no choice but to start on their adventure, this time carving their way through the world together.
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40





	1. Fate or something more fickle

**Author's Note:**

> There was so many other fics I promised myself I would post before this one and yet... TXT in their VR outfits are just too powerful. They played me like a fiddle damn you bighit. Anyway I wrote this all last night and I couldn't help but want to post it already, so heres the first chapter to this adventure fic! I honestly don't know when the next will come but I'm excited about this universe so probably not too long of a wait. Maybe lol. Anyway lets begin! Hope you like it!

Soobin couldn’t believe it was this easy.

Empty halls and unlocked doors on a house with a hostage? Things were going better than he expected, so why did he feel like it was going to be so much worse... Taehyun’s steps were as silent behind him as always, the thick soles of his boots not making a single squeak against the polish wood. Soobin sighed into the cold early morning air, taking in the eerie white walls around him. It was perfectly clean, probably because it looked like no one even lived here. What were the kidnappers in a hotel across the street or something? 

It was all wrong. 

The intel that they bought off that ship hand at the dock was starting to smell awfully rotten, and Soobin would not be caught in some fools errand. They hadn’t made it past the entryway, simply looking into the living room at a distance. He knew Taehyun would speak if he had an objection or insight, but for now he seemed to be simply waiting for Soobin’s signal. Taehyun had a bright mind and wicked instincts, but more than anything he held a deeply loyal heart. If there was one thing that would kill him one day, it would probably be love. 

But Soobin would never let that happen as long as he still breathed in this world. So he held back, double checking the door behind them, the windows in front, even the ceiling above them. Finally he took one step onwards, the bottom of his bow clutched in his grip and eyes as sharp as the steel tip of a knife. There didn’t seem to be any more movement, and the pair creeped in slowly. Ears open to hear the drop of a pin, both boys were wound like coils and slid through the air like serpents. Maybe it was okay, even if it was bad info it was still safe, maybe-

{CRASH}

Soobin sprung back as a flash of black and pink smashed through the window and sprawled into the room straight onto the one chair, both tumbling to the ground with a hearty thump. While his entrance was less than graceful, Soobin had to admit the speed and agility in which the man rolled and flickered back up was impressive. And dangerous. 

Soobin had his bow out and loaded just as the man’s lazy eyes flipped their way, Soobin’s arrow tip gleaming in the low light as it pointed straight to the man’s heart. He paused for a second, then just turned away. He leaned out the splintered window in blatant disregard, arms crossed like a school teacher about to give a lecture. 

“BEOMGYU YOU IDIOT! I TOLD YOU YOU HADN”T PERFECTED THE LEVITATING SPELL YET YOU BRAT!” 

“IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU’RE HEAVY HYUNG!”

“HEAVY?? YOU THREW ME WAY TOO FAR, HOW IS THAT ABOUT ME BEING HEAVY?”   
“THAN IT MUST BE YOUR OLD DENSE BONES!”   
“JUST SHUT UP AND GET UP HERE, AND MIND YOUR MANNERS TOO! WE HAVE COMPANY AND THEY LOOK SNOBBY AS FUCK!”

Finally the man looked back at the other two still frozen in their fighting stance, Taehyun’s face placid while Soobin gave away his look of complete disbelief. The man with untamed chin length hair just gave them a grin that was closer to a smirk, and held out his gloved hand.

“Interesting situation we seem to have found ourselves in huh fellas. My names Yeonjun by the way, the dumb one outside is Beomgyu.”

Soobin let several long blinks go by until the second hand embarrassment began to kill him, and he decided speaking was less painful.

“We didn’t ask. And I think we understood who Beomgyu-sii was by the screaming.”

Yeonjun pulled up his pants and pouted a little, big lips reaching new proportions. He looked a bit like a sulking child. His feline eyes that still dazzled with mirth told a different story however. 

“Well geez no need for the attitude. Just trying to make some quick introductions! Now then, how about we talk about why we are all here huh.”

Before Soobin could respond a boy dressed mainly in white came barging in, feet pounding and hands firmly on his hips. This boy took one look at the scene before him, taking in Soobin’s cocked arrow and Yeonjun’s smirk, and rolled his large eyes. 

“Of course I would find you here being threatened. They probably took one look at your ‘oh so black and mysterious’ get up and decided you were up to no good right there and then. That’s why we should go for white! I’ve been telling you hyung- no one suspects the person who looks like an angel!”

Yeonjun pinched the bridge of his nose, mouth going into a flat line that boxed in at the edges. 

“I doubt it was my outfit that set them off when I came  _ crashing through the fucking window  _ Beom. Also anyone who hears you speak will rule out the angel idea real quick, so I doubt that will be any help.”

At this point Soobin felt like he was interrupting some domestic squabble, like it was  _ him  _ who crashed into this house and intruded. Well they did intrude he supposed, but it wasn’t as if it was these men's house either, even if they were acting like it. Unless… 

“Do either of you belong to the group that is holding the crown prince hostage? If so I demand that you return him to us at once!”

Soobin’s voice could come out in a boom if he forced it, years of barking advice at new recruits finally wearing down his gentle nature. It certainly caught the attention of the younger one, but the man in black just raised a dyed eyebrow. Who went as far as to color their face hair? 

“Nope. We both just arrived at this house at the same time as you, probably got tipped off by the same guy too. Was it Jimmy at the docks with the bad mole and a mouth so chatty it’ll get him killed some day?”

Soobin said nothing but something in his face must have given it away, because Yeonjun just snorted and nodded his head like he was vindicated. Suddenly his aura shifted a little, his torso tilted forward and his mouth and eyes narrowed. 

“And I’ll bet, pretty little knight, that we are after the same thing too.”

Soobin was not little, in fact he was surely taller than anyone else in the room, but it wasn’t the first time his looks had made someone look down at him. He was told there was elven blood somewhere up the family tree, and while he used to curse it, he now used it like another weapon. If this man wanted to hand him a dagger, he would be happy to take it. But for now he simply needed more information. 

“That is probably true. After all we are here for the prince, as are you no?”

“Hmm right and what comes with it, you know, the… “

“Honor and gratitude.” “Loads of money.”

Soobin and Yeonjun’s voices overlapped but it was still clear what both had said. Beomgyu was the first to react, bursting out into a body shaking laugh. Yeonjun let out a few chuckles of his own, while Soobin just scrunched his face in disgust. Taehyun, moving for the first time since they arrived, gave a pointed roll of his eyes. 

“ _ I see.  _ Well, it looks like we are at a bit of a crossroads then, Yeonjun-sii?”

Soobin and Taehyun suck further into their stance, and while Beomgyu tensed in kind, Yeonjun stood loose, looking at the men in front of him in detail. 

“Maybe so, maybe not. Say Soobin-sii, if you’re really in it for the glory and thanks, then how about we team up and we take the money and you get the credit?”

It was a taunt as much as an offer, a bit of a test to Soobin’s noble statement. Soobin felt his jaw tick but didn’t bat an eye, careful of every emotion shown. 

“I would but that seems like an awful amount of trust to put in some black cloaked stranger who only wants for money.”

Yeonjun straightened to look him fully in the eye, brazenly ignoring the whiny “I told you about the black” from his side. 

“Not really when you think of the alternative. Our other option is to fight- and I promise no matter what it won’t be easy even if you did win. I know a seasoned opponent when I see one and I’m sure you do too. When you think of it like that, joining up seems downright pleasant doesn’t it?”

It seemed despite Yeonjun’s playful nature he was no fool, and Soobin knew just by his perfectly balanced weight on each foot that this man would put up one hell of a challenge. Taehyun was still healing from their last engagement with a pack of three headed wolves, and they had been on the road for more than 2 months at this point. Conditions weren’t ideal, and as long as he kept his distance from these men, the worst that could happen was that they had to battle each other later. Taehyun was always cautious, so he would be no problem. 

“I see your point. I suppose a very loose connection would not be totally objectionable.”

Yeonjun moved forward in a flash, ignoring the knife that now connected his throat to Taehyun’s hand. He held his grin steady and his palm out expectantly. Soobin lingered for a moment, hoping the man would just give up, but caved quickly once he reflected on Yeonjun’s persistent nature. They still had a prince to save after all.

By his grip strength and well calloused hand, Yeonjun seemed to have earned his cocky attitude, and Soobin felt a flash of relief that he had chosen diplomacy this time. When Yeonjun didn’t move even after the shake, Soobin caught on to what he was looking after.

“My name is Choi Soobin, a knight in his majesty’s Black Clover guard. This is my fellow knight Kang Taehyun.”

Taehyun nodded and relaxed his posture, although he did not resheath his knife purposefully. Beomgyu’s nose scrunched up, and in a loud whisper he gestured from Taehyun to Yeonjun.

“Hyung is this weird guy ever gonna speak ya think? I hope he’s not deaf cause we both massively cheated our way through sign language class.”

Yeonjun grunted a ‘shut up’ and smacked a hand onto Beomgyu’s thigh, enough to sting but certainly not enough for the following reaction. Beomgyu was down like he was shot, practically screaming in “pain” and holding onto his leg like it was about to fall off. 

Yeonjun just deadpanned a look to the other boys in the room, and picked Beomgyu up by the scruff of his neck. Beomgyu struggled like a naughty kitten in their parent’s grip, and Yeonjun simply dragged him near the door that led to parts of the house still unknown. 

“Well, should we get going then?”

Soobin nodded at Taehyun and they followed close behind the loud pair, even if they were seemingly keeping their bickering to a “whisper”. 

Soobin was tired already. 

...

They had checked each room in the house, well all but one. 

Why didn’t they just start with the basement again?

Maybe Soobin was just a bit irritated by having to be constantly wary, not wanting to let any of his weak points show to two strangers. Something which  _ clearly _ those two did not fear. Oh no, instead they’ve been arguing over who needs the softer pillow they had stolen from the bedroom for a whole ten minutes, Yeonjun apparently winning when he mentioned the “winter when they first met” although Beomgyu was still grumbling something about cheating. Needless to say, the contrast rubbed. 

Nevertheless they were here eventually, with nowhere else to turn. If the prince wasn’t here, then he wasn’t anywhere either of them knew about. Yeonjun was of course first to turn the knob and open the door, this time at least carefully peering around. There was nothing to see however, just stairs that faded into black. Looking back he nodded in their direction, and then started down the first step. Beomgyu was quick to follow, and with a reluctant look between them, Taehyun then Soobin also descended. 

Soobin listened carefully for any movement but there was utter silence, even the two idiots ahead knowing how to sneak apparently. He really needed to remember not underestimate them- they may act a bit foolish but he has a feeling they would not have survived this long if they weren’t strong enough to back themselves up. 

There was a distinct musty smell in the room, like sheets that hadn’t been changed in too long. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the room was still dark, and he sensed Yeonjun moving toward something. A flashlight suddenly flickered on, and Soobin tensed for what might be coming next. However nothing could have quite prepared him for the sight ahead. 

There was a boy there, and just a boy indeed. Couldn’t be older than 16 Soobin was sure, and couldn’t weigh more than 120 pounds. Thin wrists and wide eyes and a face that was known nationwide. It was their prince alright, but more than that it was a frightened child. One who clearly had not been properly cared for in a while. While Soobin was still staring in stiff distress Yeonjun had already moved forward, voice as soft as velvet. 

“Hey, your name’s Huening Kai right?”

The boy just shook, eyes unfocused and mind clearly scattered. And who could blame the poor traumatized thing? Soobin held his heart in his throat as he cautiously approached the raggedy bed. He kneeled down on the other side of Huening Kai, trying to make his broad height as inconspicuous as he could. Before he could stop him, Yeonjun reached out a tentative hand on the boy’s shoulder, causing a full body flinch and quivering eyes to finally look the intruders in the face. 

“Are you here to finally kill me?”

Yeonjun’s frown deepened and Soobin swallowed back a swarm of emotions. Yeonjun’s voice was firm but at ease, and Soobin thought Huening Kai could use that calm now. 

“No, I promise we are not. Your daddy made a big reward for your return don’t ya know?”

At this Huening Kai’s eyes grew impossibly wider, his head tilting to the right just slightly.

“H-he did?”

Soobin wasn’t sure what to make of the sheer  _ disbelief _ in this boy's voice, and by the looks of it Yeonjun didn’t either.

“Yeah! The plan is to get you back to the palace safe and sound, starting from today. So listen kid, if you trust nothing else at least know that you are worth more to us alive than dead.”

Soobin whacked Yeonjun’s closest shoulder, ignoring that normally he would never touch a stranger. What a thing to say to a child on the verge of permanent damage! Soobin offered Kai a hand, trying to engage with the boy but not overwhelm him. The way he peered up at Soobin through his long lashes made every protective instinct in him flair up, and he just knew he would not let the world crush this boy if he could help it. 

Kai took his hand, slowly slipping his weak grasp into Soobin’s large palm. Soobin gave a big smile at that, and pulled gently to try and help the kid stand. As soon as Huening Kai seemed to get his feet under him however he almost collapsed again, legs long since functioned. Yeonjun scooped him up long before he hit the ground, and swung the boy’s body back around onto his back in one swift motion. 

“Hang on with your arms kid, it won’t be hard to get up those stairs if we do it this way.”

It was too dark to make out Kai’s expression from here, but Soobin hoped his face wasn’t crumpled in terror. Soobin looked back at Taehyun and Beomgyu where they stood still 6 feet apart, clearly having left this task up to the older two. Soobin nodded at Taehyun, and this time they led the path back up to the light.

Getting out of that house felt refreshing, especially as the day had finally warmed up into something tolerable. Squinting against the sunlight, Soobin looked back at the door until Yeonjun and Kai emerged, immediately approaching the duo. He glanced past Yeonjun and focused on Kai, who was very good at the “hold on tight” instruction. Seeing the boy in the full day was something else. His clothes were a mix of white and a greasy gray, with spots of rusted red. 

But despite the obvious disarray the boy still shined, his eyes innocent and his looks soft but striking. He was going to grow up handsome that's for sure. And there tucked along the sides of his hair was his telling mark- a small patch of white feathers just above his ear. Every person in the royal bloodline had some kind of “natural crown” that grew on their head. For the last king it was small flowers that grew around her hairline, for their current ruler it was ice that formed along the base of his neck. Feathers- how fitting for a little angel huh? 

Soobin smiled at the thought, blissfully unaware of what a pain in the ass this boy would be. 


	2. A Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have returned to this! And with more ideas then ever. I really think this is going to be a fun fic so I hope you all enjoy :) Also *trigger warning* for this chapter- there are some descriptions of violence! Please be careful if that's harmful for you.

Soobin had a gnarled knot tightening up at the back of his brain and a headache forming that was bad enough to split his forehead. He had barely slept the past two nights, paranoia and restlessness cramping up his back. 

In the daytime his energy was spent trying to tune out the other two boy’s endless squabbles and comfort a quiet traumatized child. He got by, but not without a few snippy comments and a swig of a pain alleviating tonic each day. 

Taehyun was doing a bit better than he was at turning a blind eye to their companions incessant bickering, but a much worse job at reaching out to their shy prince. Soobin knew Taehyun was never the most friendly with total strangers and had a bad habit of closing his walls out of fear, but he had hoped maybe he would make an expectation for this doe eyed child. 

Soobin couldn’t really understand how anyone could not care for this boy honestly, I mean had they seen how his eyes sparkle? And the way his hands grip at the end of his sweater? Or the way he hugged himself when anything surprised him, sinking his head down like a turtle? Well maybe Soobin was a little extra invested, but he couldn’t help it! He had always had a weakness for innocent eyes filled with sorrow. 

Beomgyu seemed as ambivalent to the new presence as Taehyun, most of his focus on pestering Yeonjun about something or another. The boy really never knew how to hold his tongue, and it was getting to the point where even Soobin or Taehyun would fire something back. Taehyun’s comebacks were rarer but they were sharper, and Soobin always felt a spark of satisfaction at that. 

As for Yeonjun… he was hard to read. Most of the time he played it rather cool, focused on collecting information about how to get off the island and playfully batting back at Beomgyu. But when Kai stumbled on a loose piece of gravel he was the first to catch him, and when Beomgyu seemed nervous at the idea of flying to the mainland Soobin saw Yeonjun gently intertwine their hands. 

Soobin wasn’t sure what to make of either of them yet, especially with their narrow minded motivation that stung his nerves a little. By the time they sat down to eat dinner on the third day, Soobin was fried, and feeling like each of his limbs weighed 10 more pounds than usual. 

The tavern was half full, grimy bodies stepping in and out of the door every couple of minutes. They sat at a table near the back facing a wall, the only section Yeonjun ever led them too.

At this point there was a general tension in the air, each of their eyes scanning the bar once and then twice more. No one had actually spoken about it out loud, the whole story told only in the tight grip of Soobin’s hand on his glass of water. 

They all knew it though, even Huening Kai was probably aware despite his glassy eyes and closed mouth. The boy had hardly spoken 100 words total since they met, whether out of distrust or just general trauma Soobin wasn’t sure. 

Still the question pulsed through the room, bouncing off each wall to cross their minds again and again. Soobin tried to push it away and focus as Yeonjun ordered 4 servings of pork and a side of stewed vegetables, but his worries pulled him under like a riptide beneath his feet.

Beomgyu was tapping on the table in a steadfast beat, blunt nails clunking against the large slab of wood. The rhythm seemed to spell out Soobin’s deepest fear right before him, each tap stronger than before. 

Why. Was. This. So. Easy?

It was worse than a dagger touching his jugular, because at least then he knew the feel of the blade. This felt like being tricked, some mysterious man in black laughing behind their heads.

This was the prince, one who was worth a million quid, and they had walked out the door and into the next town with him no problem.

There was something missing, but for now Soobin knew he didn’t have the resources to figure it out. More than likely, the caveat would catch up to  _ them _ . 

By the time their food arrived Soobin was more than grateful, both to have a full belly once more and for something else to focus on. He and Taehyun took their forks and pushed some food onto a small separate plate while Yeonjun and Beomgyu simply leaned over to shovel in as much as they could from the steaming pot. Huening Kai once again ate in small bites, the boy's appetite so tiny for someone who seemed to be growing up quite big. 

Within minutes it felt like the whole meal was almost gone, and Soobin couldn’t help but worry as Kai only took his 10th bite. When Beomgyu went in for what must have been his 3rd helping, Soobin felt something in him rattle. 

“Enough! Beomgyu I think probably you ate a third of this yourself, isn’t it time to put the fork down for once?” 

Beomgyu slowly lowered his hand that was poised mid air but Yeonjun caught his wrist. Yeonjun’s eyes were narrowed and his body was ramrod straight. Soobin hadn’t seen him look this serious since he laid eyes on him, and the sharp cut of his eyes pricked the back of Soobin’s neck. 

“If we need more food we will order more, Beomgyu is allowed to eat until he is full. Do not speak about things you have no place in.” 

It was more than a scold, it was a threat. A line had been carved at his feet and Soobin just nodded, accepting that he had crossed into something he shouldn’t have. The rest of the meal was even more quiet than before, Huening Kai sinking into the seat like he was hoping to mold into it. 

Soobin noticed Beomgyu moved the meat around but ate no more and he frowned, now knowing he had disrupted something unexpectedly delicate in his callousness. 

They finished up and left some silver coins on the table, Soobin and Yeonjun splitting it per usual. The street was busier in the night than it had been in the day, people of young and old eating at snack trucks and stumbling from the nearest beer stall. 

There were lights strung from rooftop to rooftop, and a buzz of loud conversations trying to outdo each other. The boys made their way down the street past most of the building towards the tree line. Then they kept going, Yeonjun leading the way through the looming pines. 

Soobin took up the back, checking over his shoulder regularly for any rustle in the balmy evening air. The smell of damp earth was strong, the rain from a few days ago leaving the dirt beneath his boots with a light spring. 

By the time they reached the large clearing and undid the concealment charm over it, they were all tired enough to go straight to bed. Soobin and Taehyun retreated into one large tent and Yeonjun and Beomgyu crawled into their own. As always they left the decision of who to stay with up to Huening Kai, and he predictably entered Soobin’s sight soon enough. 

Soobin knew he needed the rest, hell he needed more than the 6 hours he normally got, but he also knew he couldn’t just leave the day like this. He had been thinking about the slight fear on Beomgyu’s face after he told him to stop eating for an hour, going around in circles about who to blame. He couldn’t escape the thoughts even as Huening Kai’s breathing evened out beside him, the boy’s light snores normally enough to relax him for sleep. 

Finally he sat up slowly and moved towards the outer flap before his arm was held in a tight grip. He couldn’t observe Taehyun’s face but he knew him well enough to know what it looked like.

“Just be careful Hyung. I know this is something you need to do alone, but don’t let your guard down so easily.”

Soobin rested his hand on Taehyun’s and squeezed, smiling at his dearest friend even though he knew it wouldn’t be seen. When he was released he made his way outside, only to still at the sight of someone already standing at the front of their camp. 

Yeonjun was looking up at the stars, head craned to the point where it couldn’t be comfortable. But he seemed at peace, dark eyes full of the ocean of lights above. 

When he glanced over he looked Soobin up and down, arms crossed and body carefully balanced on the balls of his feet. Soobin couldn’t tell if he was surprised to see him or if he was expecting this visit. With a jerk of his head he began walking forward, and Soobin was drawn to follow him. 

They passed through the forest in whispered silence, only the occasional crunch or rustle giving away their presence. Soobin took in a deep breath of humid air, tasting the tang of water grow stronger. 

Soon enough they slid out of the growth and onto the rocky shore of a lake. 

The water was like liquid moonlight, bobbing and swallowing stars as they dared to cross it path. Soobin could have stared at it forever, the gleaming surface like a magnet to any creature in its line of sight. 

Yeonjun approached its borders and then sat at the edge of a large rock with enough room for another next to him. Soobin took the seat, softly sinking down until the rough edges were digging into his thighs. They both just watched the cascading ripples as they lapped at the ground, Soobin rubbing his thumb along his damp palm. 

He could see Yeonjun’s glaring pink hair out of the corner of his eye, the longer back pieces ruffling in the light breeze. He supposed his pastel blue color wasn’t much better, but the permanent hair shift potion had been a gift from his parents that he couldn’t refuse. 

When Soobin spoke his voice was steady, the volume just above the creaks of the forest. 

“I apologize Yeonjun-sii, for what happened at dinner. Obviously I overstepped into something I shouldn’t have spoken about.” 

Yeonjun shrugged and leaned back to rest on his palms.

“Eh, you couldn’t have known. All you saw was a brat who can’t keep his mouth closed, it makes sense you got annoyed.”

Soobin blinked a few times, turning to face Yeonjun’ form fully.

“So… you’re not mad?” 

Yeonjun chuckled, tilting his head Soobin’s way.

“No your highness, I’m not mad. And I guarantee Beomgyu forgets it by tomorrow. Or worse he doesn’t, and tries to tease you the next time we eat by being even more obnoxious.”

The fog of sleep must already be clogging his mind, because Soobin spoke next before thinking.

“Can I know why it was such a big deal? Not- er- I don’t mean to say it shouldn’t be, I’m just curious about something that bothers the two of you who seem so carefree…”

Yeonjun grew more serious but not stiff, just releasing a sigh and calmly answering. 

“When I met Beomgyu he was just some starving brat on the street. You know, one of those dirty kids tucked into alleys and picking at trash. I had barely moved on from the life myself, the orphanage kicked me out by the time I turned 12 and some work at the blacksmiths was the only thing keeping me afloat. Well that and a real quick hand.” 

Yeonjun paused and took a moment to really look up at the vast sky once more. 

“He was holed up next to the town bar, shoulders hunched and just his head sticking out. I glanced over and I couldn’t look away. I had never in all my time seen a gaze like that. So present, so forceful, so full of life. Most kids like us walked around like they were already dead, but he looked at me like he would do anything to keep going one more day. 

So I took him in. Wasn’t easy. Hell it was like cornering a feral cat at times, but the one thing that kept him coming back was food. I’m convinced he had never a full meal in his life before then, so I gave him all I could. And I promised him that with me he’d never have to go hungry again.”

Soobin swallowed, the brief glimpse of a life flashing before his eyes. How must it had looked, Beomgyu in some tattered shirt scarfing down food while Yeonjun who was still so young tried to watch over him. No wonder he sometimes catches Beomgyu looking at Yeonjun like he strung the whole world, because for one boy he really did. 

Soobin knew this was no place for pity, Yeonjun’s matter of fact tone made that clear. So before he could second guess himself, he decided to offer up a story just as intimate as the one before.

“You know when I met Taehyun he was so small? Oh he was tiny. Couldn’t have been above 5 feet and arms like newly sprouted twigs. He was really young when he joined the academy, probably too young.”

Yeonjun looked back and met his eye, tilting his head with gentle curiosity. 

“I had seen him around but hadn’t thought much about him other then a wince or two when it looked like someone was really beating him in practice. Then one day after training I bumped into some boys with blood on their knuckles, glaring at me as they left the storage room like I was the one who shouldnt be there. I knew something was wrong, I almost didn’t want to look inside.”

Soobin took in a large breath, clenching his hands so they didn’t begin to shake. The scene never got less haunting. If anything as his love for Taehyun grew, so did his horror at this cursed memory. 

“They almost killed him. I swear I had never seen that much blood before, his torso so swollen it was shiny and his ribs a mottled purple. His wrists were still bound, rough twine so tight they were soaked red. But his eyes were still open, dazed but not broken. I did what I could and brought him to the nurse, but it still took him over a month to recover. 

I begged him to return home, god I did everything just to try to make him leave. But he’s nothing if not stubborn to the bone, and he was determined to show his parents he was a son to be proud of. Something which I’ve come to understand is an impossible task. So he stayed, and I’ve done all I can to protect him ever since.” 

The night was so bright he could see the way Yeonjun sightly nodded, his eyelashes hanging over his eyes as he looked down at the playful water. 

“Its funny isn’t it, these boys are so clever until it comes to their own damn safety.”   


Soobin brought his palm up and laughed into it, eyes fully crinkling into crescents. He didn’t notice the delight in Yeonjun’s gaze as he watched him, too focused on his own humor. 

There was a quiet understanding lingering around them, a moment between knowing the feeling in the air and not knowing what to say about it. The walk back was as silent as the walk in, and when both boys moved to split up they stalled just a second to look back at each other. 

…

By the time the sun had risen high in the sky the next day, the boys had a plan on how to get out of here once and for all. There was a cruise ship that was traveling east, and one of the stops was a port on the mainland near the capital. While it was a long two weeks travel to the destination, it was the most inconspicuous way to get there. 

Soobin had been hesitant at first about this plan since it would mean more weeks of cramped quarters and loud arguments, but now he was ready to make the journey. It really was their best option anyway. They packed up the tents as quick as they could, their packs enchanted to cut the weight of their gear in half. 

They made it through the forest once more, emerging into town like a pack of wolves from the depths. Soobin felt more on edge then ever, just the idea that they were actually moving towards something made him more cautious. 

Taehyun could sense his nerves no doubt, his friend always had a way of knowing what was on his mind. He slipped his arm through Soobin’s briefly, just pressing against him for a bit. 

Soobin automatically relaxed some of his wound up muscles, and shot Taehyun a small grin. He saw Yeonjun glance at them from the corner of his eye, and he wondered what must have crossed the man’s mind. 

They crawled through town in their usual fashion, Yeonjun guiding the front carefully as Soobin supported the rear. The ship would leave at 2:30, and the huge clock at the center of town showed they only had 30 minutes to get there. It wasn’t a lot, but to come early was more dangerous than not. 

They got to the location without issue, watching as the colorful stream of people and luggage were boarded onto the deck. Yeonjun glanced back at all of them and nodded towards the plank which was held up by large wooden crates. 

He raised up one finger and then sprung down to the dock, at once standing up and walking remarkably casually towards the ship. It was that confidence that had others passing him by with out a thought, even his all black ensemble not enough to give anyone pause. He had taken off his harness at least, which no doubt helped him blend in. 

When he reached the shadowed area underneath the plank he paused to glance around and check if anyone was walking by, and then leapt. 

He clung to the ship’s side by the small ledge of a port window, his toes just touching the water’s rocking edge. They watched as he pulled himself up by one arm and reached with the other into his back pocket, taking out a large wrench. 

It was no doubt a pricey little item, enhancing the strength of its holder 3 times. Yeonjun claimed it had paid itself back more than a hundred fold. Within 10 seconds the panel was removed and Yeonjun had slithered inside, ducking out of sight and then popping back up to give the okay symbol. 

The rest of them took off at his mark, dropping down to the wooden planks just above the water and strolling to the ship like they belonged. Soobin tried his best to look steady, eyes locked ahead and not darting as he desired. 

Beomgyu was first there, and when Yeonjun reached for him he jumped without hesitation. Yeonjun pulled him through easily and indicated for Taehyun to go next. The blond haired boy looked up at Yeonjun with more than a fair share of suspicion, but gritted his teeth and hopped as quickly as he could. 

Then it was just Soobin and Kai. Soobin gestured for Kai to go first right before he felt a shiver run down his spine. By instinct he grabbed Kai and ducked, just in time for an arrow to go flying over their head. Soobin whipped around and found three men closing in, their pace calm enough to not draw immediate attention but their weapons out clear to see. 

At once Soobin grabbed Huening Kai by the waist, made eye contact with Yeonjun, and launched Kai into the air. Yeonjun wrapped his arms around the boy and yanked him in just in time for another arrow to bounce of the steel of the boat, a horn blaring out a final warning as the ship began to move. 

“JUST JUMP! GET UP HERE NOW!”

Soobin’s heart beat was running wild and cold sweat was soaking his brow as he slid to dodge another arrow aimed at his heart. Now the men were in a full sprint, their black boots pounding on the wood. Soobin saw the man pull back on his bow string once more and he twisted back around.

Yeonjun was half hanging out of the small window, his face contorted into a shout and his hand out as far as he could stretch it. He was moving away faster and faster and Soobin could hear Taehyun yelling behind him. Fear was closing in on Soobin’s mind and he only had a split second to make a move- so he leapt. 

He could hear the splash of an arrow’s force meet the water below him as Yeonjun’s hands grasped both of his shoulders, pulling his arms upwards with so much force he thought they might yank out of his sockets. 

They tumbled to the ground in a heap, arms locked on each other tight while they both breathed hard. At once Taehyun was on Soobin, fussing and yelling in his ear. The adrenaline was still singing in his veins and Soobin could barely keep his eyes open, blood rushing towards his head. 

When he finally fully focused he saw Yeonjun’s eyes on him, and he watched as a grin slowly overtook Yeonjun’s face. All at once Yeonjun was laughing, so loud it seemed to even take himself by surprise. Two blinks later Soobin was joining him, the rest just staring at the pair like they were insane. 

Yeonjun picked himself up slowly and then reached down a hand, and Soobin didn’t hesitate to take it. 


End file.
